


Second Chances

by molmcmahon



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Age Regression/De-Aging, Female Harry Potter, Gen, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-07-16
Updated: 2018-09-14
Packaged: 2019-06-11 13:55:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 15,032
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15316926
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/molmcmahon/pseuds/molmcmahon
Summary: Brianna Potter comes out of the war with a permanent limp and has reached the edge of her rope. Her friends are all dead and she has a death wish. Magic ends up granting her one wish but in a peculiar way: a new family and a second chance at a childhood.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is one of my old stories that I'm just reposting. 
> 
> I do not own either Avengers or HP.

“Well, we have many children waiting to be adopted,” Olivia remarked, glancing at the two men. “All of them would be so happy to have a new home.”

“Do any...” the man with the metal arm trailed off, fidgeting a little. Olivia watched as his metal arm flexed and she could see how he was once an assassin.

“Buck?”

Olivia watched as the two men tuned into each other and smiled softly. They seemed like they were each other's world, no more, no less. She of course knew that one of them was Captain America and the other used to be the Winter Soldier. But the way they were around her and just the little that she had seen of them... she hadn't seen a couple further in love than they were.

Rogers glanced at her apologetically then gently tugged Barnes away from her, probably to have a private conversation. She nodded and gestured to a corner of her office.

“Go ahead. I'll wait,” Olivia said.

Rogers smiled at her then she watched him tilt his forehead against Barnes' and wrap an arm around him.

Olivia turned back to her paperwork, successfully tuning out the hushed conversation before her. The two of them had already submitted the first set of paperwork so they were now coming to see the children. She glanced at her computer briefly, checking to make sure that there were no other appointments on the calendar. When she heard a throat clearing, she looked up to see them both staring at her expectantly.

“May we see the children?” Rogers asked, politely.

“Of course,” Olivia said, standing up and leading the way through a door and down a hallway. “You said on the paperwork that you were open to either a boy or a girl?”

“Yes,” Barnes said. “We don't care about the sex of the child.”

“Or the gender,” Rogers added.

“Or any disabilities that they might have,” Barnes put in, walking alongside Rogers.

Olivia tried not to smile at that but it was a near thing. “My assistant should have gotten the children ready this morning. Ah, here we are.”

Olivia led the two of them through a doorway and into the hall where potential adopters could interact with the children. All the children were assembled, sitting amongst the small tables. The teenagers were all together at one while the younger were sitting, depending on whether they were friends or not.

“Children, these are Steve Rogers and James Barnes,” Olivia called out, studying the children for a minute then turning to the prospective parents. “They are looking to adopt.”

There was silence for a minute then she watched as the children started to mutter excitedly amongst themselves. Her eyes scanned the crowd again, knowing there was one missing but…

“Madison?”

One of the older girls stood up and shuffled over to stand in front of Olivia. Madison had been here for a while and was the one to usually know where the younger girls were. Olivia watched her glance at Rogers and Barnes then turn her attention back to her.

“Where's Brianna?”

Madison looked down at the floor then at the door to the girl's dormitories. “I didn't see her when you knocked on our door. She might...”

Olivia watched as Madison's eyes widened. “Mason and Luke aren't here!”

Olivia stiffened then pulled out her pager and called Madison. Mason and Luke were the oldest boys here and they were also bullies. And Brianna wasn't exactly physically able to get around easily.

“What is it?” Rogers asked, looking down at Madison then at Olivia. Barnes glanced down at Madison then scanned the room, taking in the rest of the children then back to her.

Olivia sighed. “Mason and Luke--”

“They're bullies,” Madison interrupted anxiously. Her eyes were glancing at the door then back at Rogers and Barnes and back to Olivia.

Rogers and Barnes both stilled. Rogers frowned then turned to stare at Olivia, eyes hardening a little. Olivia stared as Steve Rogers turned into Captain America right before her eyes. He didn't have his shield with him but still, the change was visible enough.

“Can we help?” Barnes asked, flesh hand slipping into Rogers' hand next to him.

Olivia glanced down at Madison then at the rest of the children, already pointedly looking at Madison. The young girl returned the look and went to go sit with the others but not before taking in Rogers and Barnes.

“Be careful with Brianna,” Madison offered, giving them a meaningful look then going to sit at a table with two other girls.

“What does she mean by that?” Rogers asked as Olivia gestured for them to follow her. They trailed after her as she went back through the door, passing Micheal on the way. Micheal was one of the other caretakers here so she figured that the children were in good hands with him.

“Brianna Evans came to us with a permanent limp in her left leg,” Olivia answered as they went deeper into the facility. “She has trouble walking fast or far.”

“The two boys that the older girl mentioned,” Rogers started. “She said they were bullies. Was she suggesting...”

Olivia hesitantly nodded. “Some of the older kids here take to bullying Brianna with more enthusiasm than we would have liked.”

“Does she fight back?” Barnes asked curiously as they left the building entirely through what was probably one of the many doors. The courtyard they entered was moderately big and had a few picnic tables then a basketball court and a huge grassy area with a big tree in the middle of it. It was overcast and drizzling out, probably soon to be pouring rain as it was in the middle of winter.

“She's only eight,” Olivia said then led them to where they could yelling near a tree in the courtyard. “But she tries.”

“GIVE MY BEAR BACK!”

Olivia grimaced. “They took her bear... This is bad; she loves that thing, carries it around with her always.”

She headed straight to where the three little kids were standing. Mason and Luke were tossing Brianna's bear back and fourth like a game of fetch. Brianna was slowly hobbling back and fourth between them but never quite succeeding in pulling it from their hands. Olivia could see tear tracks on her cheeks as well as tears that were already forming in her light green eyes.

“That's... it's a Bucky bear,” Rogers said, a surprised and fond hint to his voice. He glanced at Barnes and smiled softly. Olivia could tell the minute that the two boys heard Captain America; they stopped what they were doing and looked up at the three adults.

“Mason, Luke, what on earth were you two doing?” Olivia asked. The two boys were both ten years old, definitely old enough to know better.

“Anna had another nightmare last night,” Luke said, pouting. “Woke all of us up.”

“Just because you could hear her from the other side of the wall, doesn't mean you should take her bear,” Olivia scolded, inwardly wincing at hearing that Brianna had had another nightmare. “Now go back into the meeting hall. Micheal will have to talk to you two.”

Olivia watched the two of them sprint off and sighed. “Those two... I swear. They'll probably grow up to be supervillains.”

Rogers glanced at her, raising an eyebrow.

“I was kidding,” Olivia said steadily, then started to go pick up Brianna's bear.

Only for Barnes to beat her to it.

 

* * *

 

 

Brianna stood there in front of the tree, reaching an arm out to the tree to hold herself up. She was breathing heavily, her heart racing; she always hated those two. They always cornered her in the play room when she had loud nightmares. And they called her a freak sometimes which triggered her memories of... her past family. The Dursley's never were good memories.

“Hey, kiddo.”

Brianna started and turned to look at whoever had approached her, her eyes widening at the sight that met her. She glanced at where he was holding her bear with his metal arm. The man was crouched in front of her, on his knees. He held out the bear toward her, waiting, studying her. She reached out and grabbed it, pulling it close to her chest. She also tugged on some of her hair to cover up her scar, not wanting him to see it. She saw his eyes follow her hand then go back to looking at her.

“I've heard some not so good things about those bears,” James Barnes commented, glancing at her.

Brianna narrowed her eyes. “That's because people are stupid.”

Brianna turned to look over Barnes' head when she heard an unfamiliar laugh and her eyes widened again. Captain America was standing over with Olivia, smiling at both of them.

“You heard the lady, Bucky,” the leader of the Avengers said. “Guess you'll have to stop thinking that yourself.”

“Suppose I will. Bucky Barnes.”

Brianna watched him hold out his flesh arm toward her. She glanced between his hand and his face then back to his hand.

“Brianna Evans,” Brianna replied, hesitantly shaking his hand then shuffling back an inch or two. Her left leg mostly held then she put her hands behind her back and glanced at the ground, finding the grass under her feet to be very interesting.

“You're quite serious for a eight year old,” Captain America remarked, coming to crouch next to Bucky.

Brianna glanced up at the both of them, looking back and fourth between Bucky and Captain America. “Is it Superhero Day today?”

“No, sweetie,” Olivia strode over to stand next to her. “They're here to pick out a child.”

“Then why are you guys staying around me?” Brianna asked, frowning.

Cap raised an eyebrow. Bucky narrowed his eyes.

“What makes you say that?” Cap asked.

“'Cause I'm no good,” Brianna muttered, pushing her black hair behind her right ear and hugging her Bucky bear tighter. “A freak.”

The three sharp inhales she heard next made her look up again.

“You're not a freak,” Cap said, exchanging a look with Bucky.

“Who has called you that?” Bucky asked, metal arm flexing a little.

“Those boys,” Brianna responded.

Olivia sighed. “Well then. Luke and Mason will be receiving a talking to. Shall we move this indoors? It is rather cold out.”

“Brianna, do you need help?” Olivia added gently, glancing down at her.

Brianna shook her head, blinking her eyes against the pain that had suddenly made itself known. She should have known better to run on her leg; she just couldn't seem to get used to it. It wasn't like any adults in her past life had really helped her when she needed it. “Not really.”

She braced herself on the tree for one last minute then pushed away, sidestepping the two superheros. Brianna watched them stand up and could feel them staring at her and murmuring. But she just started to follow Olivia dutifully, automatically.

When they were just about at the door, Brianna stiffened when her leg got worse. She unwillingly let out a whimper and would have fallen, had it not been for strong arms coming around her. She started to squirm but when she heard Bucky's voice and realized that there was one flesh arm and one metal arm holding her. She then cautiously settled and burrowed into his arms.


	2. Chapter 2

Steve followed Bucky and the head woman back into the facility, trailing just a few feet behind Bucky. The girl had ended up snuggling into Bucky's arms, tucking her head on his shoulder. It would have been cute and had it been a different situation, Steve would have been smiling softly.

They had both heard the whimper coming from the young girl called Brianna but Bucky had beat him to catching her. Steve winced when he heard another quiet whimper coming from Brianna, even when Bucky was probably carrying her very gently. He wondered what had caused her leg to be permanently damaged; she was wearing loose sweat pants so they couldn't see what it was.

“Is there something that she takes for the pain?” Bucky asked quietly, a little anxiously.

Olivia glanced worriedly at them as she led them back to her office. “Yes, just a minute. I'll go get it. You can make yourselves comfortable in here. Try to keep her relaxed if you don't mind; if she gets more stressed, her leg gets worse.”

Steve watched as Bucky went to sit down in one of the more comfortable looking chairs and went to sit in the one next to him. Brianna slumped but stayed in his lap, left leg out at an awkward angle. Steve could also see that she was holding onto Bucky's metal arm, like it was a lifeline or something. Her other hand was still holding onto the bear.

“It hurts.”

Steve saw Bucky wince and they exchanged glances. Steve looked at Bria, studying.

“Brianna, do you know what caused your injury?”

Brianna stiffened then shook her head, voice a little muffled, “No. I think I was born with it.”

“We could get Banner to look at it,” Bucky murmured. Steve glanced at him, raising an eyebrow.  _ Is she the one? _

Bucky returned the look, nodding his head slightly.  _ She's the one.  _ The girl had shown no hesitation or fear whatsoever toward either Bucky or Steve. And more importantly, toward Bucky's metal arm. The other kids had a little fear in their eyes when they had looked Steve and then Bucky over but Brianna hadn't.

“Banner?” Brianna turned to look up at both of them, wincing a little. “Who's that?”

“He's--”

Steve glanced up at the door, watching Olivia walk in and quietly close the door.

“This is the only thing that helps,” Olivia said, walking over to them and holding out a bottle of something.

Bucky reached out to take it from her with his flesh arm and glanced down at it. “This is the sort of lotion that people with scars have.”

“Yes. She has a rather peculiar scar on her leg,” Olivia replied. “And it's the only thing that can numb the pain. It does make her sleepy though.”

“Brianna, do you mind if I put the stuff on for you?” Bucky asked then looked up at Olivia. “Assuming you don't mind.”

 

* * *

 

 

Brianna turned to look up at Bucky then glanced at Cap then nodded, yawning a little. “Yeah...”

She pulled her arm away from Bucky's metal arm and reached down to pull up her pant leg up on her left foot. Brianna heard twin gasps come from the man whose lap she was sitting on and his partner.

“What kind of thing would leave that kind of mark or injury?” Cap asked.

“We don't know. She wouldn't tell us when we asked.”

The minute that she felt the lotion being rubbed into her skin, she sighed in relief and relaxed entirely. Brianna knew what had caused the injury; it had been a combination of a cruciatus curse and some other curse that she hadn't heard the incantation. The scar it had left was unlike any scar anyone had ever seen: black and red raised skin forming a jagged line down her calf. She hadn't ever told anyone that she might be more than just a plain human girl so the people didn't know.

“Brianna, may I ask you a question?” Cap said.

“Already asked one,” Brianna replied drowsily, blinking her eyes to keep them open. She was barely keeping from just swaying further into Bucky's lap and falling asleep.

Bucky snorted above her, massaging some more lotion into her leg before capping the lid onto the tube. Olivia chuckled a little. 

“What Steve here means to ask is, would you like for us to be your parents?” Bucky asked quietly.

Brianna was just closing her eyes when she sat bolt upright, glancing between Bucky and Steve. “Really?”

“It wouldn't be easy,” Steve said, staring at her with a small smile on his face. “I'm an Avenger.”

“I know,” Brianna said. “You think I wouldn't have picked out the-- 'S fine.”

She saw them both narrow their eyes at her cut off sentence. “I've had worse parents.”

“Worse?” Steve asked, a hint of steel coming through. “Did they do this?”

Brianna watched as he gestured toward her leg and reached down to pull her pant leg back over it.

She glanced at Bucky who had tensed beneath her. “These parents have names and addresses?”

“Bucky! Not in front of the child!” Steve exclaimed, a little horrified. “Do they?”

Brianna giggled.

Both Steve and Bucky looked at her and smiled.

“I would like that,” Brianna replied, grinning a little hesitantly then yawning as her day crept up onto her and the lotion did its' work.

“Good,” Bucky remarked, glancing at her then at Olivia who was smiling at them. “Why don't I take care of the paperwork then?”

“Brianna, you want to move laps?” Steve asked shyly, opening his arms up. “Let Bucky up?”

 

* * *

 

 

Brianna nodded sleepily, rubbing her eyes with a small fist and moving across Bucky's lap into Steve's arms. She curled up against his chest and closed her eyes, promptly falling asleep.

“Olivia, how did Brianna come into your care?” Bucky asked, occasionally glancing at Steve and their new little girl. Steve was tentatively running a hand through her moderately short black hair, smiling softly at her.

Olivia sighed. “We honestly don't know where she came from. She just appeared on the front porch one day and she didn't have any parents or adults taking care of her. We tried to look up any information on her online but there was nothing.”

“Did she have the scar on her forehead when she arrived?” Steve asked quietly, standing up with little Brianna in his arms and walking over to stand alongside Bucky.

“You noticed that too?” Bucky asked, glancing at Steve and narrowing his eyes a little.

Steve nodded and leaned back a little to move some of Bria's hair from her face. “Yes, it looks like a...”

“Lighting bolt?” Olivia interrupted, inclining her head at the both of them.

“Yeah,” Bucky agreed, signing on the required lines. Stark had attempted to join them and would have probably insisted that he have Pepper do the paperwork but they had both wanted this to be something private that they did together. Though, all of the paperwork would get emailed to them and be filed in Jarvis' databanks to be looked over by Pepper and Tony's lawyers. Little Bria would have to get used to having four aunts and five uncles. “Has she ever said anything about that?”

“No, she hasn't,” Olivia replied. “She hasn't said anything except...”

“Except what?” Steve asked, raising an eyebrow.

“I've figured out that her home before this probably wasn't that good,” Olivia finished with a grimace.

“Nothing else?” Bucky asked, bringing his metal arm up to hover over Brianna's leg.

“No. Other than the three scars on her body, there was nothing else,” Olivia remarked, typing in something on her computer.

“Three?” Steve repeated, glancing at Olivia with a confused frown. “We only saw two.”

“She has one on her right arm,” Olivia replied. “One that doesn't require any treatment though. As far as I know, it doesn't hurt her.”

Bucky moved to gently unroll little Bria's sleeve on her right arm and stopped when the red shirt was at her shoulder. The third scar was faint but there, a jagged line of faded, raised pink.

“This has the look of a knife wound,” Bucky commented, glancing up at Steve. “Or dagger.”

“Knife wound?” Olivia repeated, raising her eyebrows. “Are you sure?”

Bucky nodded. “I know what knife wounds look like.”

Olivia shuddered but otherwise didn't comment.

“You don't know anything about her previous home?” Steve asked quietly.

“No. However, she did have a mild British accent when she first came here,” Olivia replied, taking the finished paperwork from Bucky.

“British, huh?”

Bucky exchanged a look with Steve then they both looked down at Brianna, who had fallen asleep in Steve's arms.


	3. Chapter 3

As the matron was finishing up the paperwork, she flicked her gaze up to where the two new parents were. Steve Rogers and James Barnes were staring down at Brianna, who was in Steve's arms. Olivia smiled and typed the last pieces of information in and the knock on the door was at least halfway expected.

She noticed Steve and Barnes start a little and Brianna sleepily opened her eyes. Olivia got up and opened the door to find Madison standing in the hallway with a small backpack. The older girl stared up at her then behind her at Brianna, smiling a little.

“I figured she was getting a new family,” Madison said, shrugging and handing the backpack to Olivia. “Here. It has all of her belongings in it. She's already holding onto her bear so that's all of it.”

Barnes drew off from the other two and stared down at Madison. “You were the one to watch over her?”

Madison nodded.

“Thank you,” Barnes said, taking the backpack from Madison then turning to look at Steve when a phone started to ring. Olivia raised an eyebrow when the national anthem came on and looked between the both of them.

Steve groaned and reached into his pocket with the hand that wasn't holding Brianna. Olivia heard him mutter something about,  _ Tony, not again. _

 

* * *

 

 

Brianna looked between her new parents then glanced at Steve's other hand where he was holding the phone.

“Looks like Tony sent us a car,” Steve commented then looked down at her. “Would you be comfortable with meeting the others this evening? I think it's Bruce's night to cook.”

Bucky came over and stood alongside Steve, with a small grin on his face. “The others aren't bad, if you're wondering about that. It's not Stark's turn to cook, at least.”

“Or we could go out to dinner, just the three of us,” Steve added.

“Start the indoctrination early, huh pal?” Bucky muttered, sliding in inch or two away from Steve. Steve snorted, lightly elbowed Bucky in his side then glanced down at Brianna. She glanced between the two then ducked her head down into Steve's shoulder, giggling.

“Should I be worried?” Olivia questioned.

Brianna turned to look at the matron then up at Steve and at Bucky. Her new parents both had worried frowns on their faces, like they had stepped over a line or something.

Brianna smiled. “'M not worried. He's Captain America and he was the Winter Soldier! Nothing's going to happen to me.”

“Damn right it won't,” Steve murmured under his breath. Brianna stiffened a little and turned back in Steve's arms to look at him then relaxed when she realized that his statement had been sincere.

“You're not scared of me?” Bucky asked, coming to once again stand alongside Steve and looking at Brianna. “Some adults and teenagers are.”

“I'm not scared easily,” Brianna replied quickly. “You just have a metal arm. Could we go eat? I'm hungry.”

“Well, do you have a favorite food?” Bucky asked, after exchanging a significant glance with Steve.

Brianna thought for about a minute then lit up. “Spaghetti?”

Steve and Bucky both grinned down at her.

“Spaghetti it is,” Steve replied. “I think I know the perfect place to go to.”

“Are we done?” Bucky asked, turning to glance at Olivia.

“Yes, you're done,” Olivia replied. “I'll email the copies and a copy of her file over to you.”

“And to Stark Industries?” Bucky mentioned as he handed the small backpack down to Brianna. She took it, opened it and dropped her bear into it, closed it and put it on her back.

“If that is what you want,” Olivia answered. “I will.”

Brianna looked at Steve then spoke, gesturing to the floor and to Madison, who was still standing in the doorway. “Could you... I want to say goodbye.”

Steve smiled a little, lowering her down immediately. “Yeah, of course.”

Brianna slowly walked over to where Madison was and the older girl promptly drew her into a hug. “Bye.”

 

* * *

 

 

Brianna slipped her hand into Bucky's metal hand when he held it out to her as they walked out of the facility.

“Can you feel?” Brianna asked, skipping down the sidewalk in between Steve and Bucky.

Bucky glanced down at her, raising an eyebrow. “Feel?”

“Yeah, like temperatures and fabric?” Brianna said, shivering a little. “Your arm, I mean?”

“Yes, I can feel things,” Bucky replied, smiling. “Stark fixed it as soon as Steve here brought me back.”

“Stark?” Brianna asked, looking up at both of them. “Who's that?”

“He's Iron Man,” Steve said, glancing out at the street but still smiling. “You don't know him?”

“No, at least, I don't think so,” Brianna replied hesitantly. “I lived in London for up until two weeks ago.”

“This will be fun to watch then,” Bucky commented then narrowed his eyes when Brianna shivered again.

“Ah, there's Happy,” Steve called out then turned to them. “Brianna, do you have a jacket you could wear?”

“Yeah,” Brianna replied, stopping and trying, unsuccessfully, to pull her pack off.

Steve smiled a little and knelt down, gently pulling the backpack off her shoulders. He opened it and searched around for a warmer jacket. It looked like a knitted sweatshirt with a…

“This has a 'B' on it,” Steve remarked as Brianna turned to hold up her arms. “Does that mean it was made for you?”

Both Steve and Bucky watched as Brianna's eyes widened.

“I... yeah,” Brianna said, voice gone a little quiet. “From a mom of a friend of mine's.”

“That was nice of the woman,” Bucky replied quietly, helping the sweatshirt over Brianna's head and down her body. “Are you still friends with whoever it was?”

Brianna shook her head. “No, he's dead.”

Bucky stilled and glanced at Steve to see that he had the same reaction.

“I'm sorry to hear that,” Steve said. “Come on. Let's go.”

Brianna hopped into the waiting car and when Steve and Bucky slid in, whoever was driving the car took off. She stared out the window as the car drove through the streets of New York City and squeaked some when hands came around her.

“Can't have you rolling around the car,” Steve said as he picked her up and placed her on his lap.

“But I wanna' be a roly-poly bug,” Brianna said, grinning and curling up into a small ball. “Oh!”

Steve and Bucky both laughed.

“Aren't you a little big to be a bug?” Bucky asked, peering down at her and grinning.

“Nope!” Brianna exclaimed, shuffling over to sit between them.

“Here we are, Captain.”

Brianna watched as Steve called back to the head of the car. “Thanks Happy.”

“Your welcome. Would you like to walk back to the Tower or shall I come get you three when you call me?”

She glanced between Steve and Bucky as they looked at each other then down at her.

“We can take turns carrying her,” Bucky murmured. “It's not that far from the tower anyway.”

Steve nodded. “That sounds good. Happy, you can go now.”

Brianna got out of the car with her two new parents and watched as the car drove away.

“Come on little bug,” Bucky coaxed, holding out his hand. Brianna caught up to them and slipped one hand into Bucky's metal hand and one into Steve's right hand.


	4. Chapter 4

“Do you have any favorite movies?” Bucky asked as they were waiting for their food. They were sitting in a circular booth in the corner and Brianna was sitting in the middle.

Brianna was glancing around everywhere. Steve and Bucky had led her to a curtained off area that was in the back of the diner. But the people who were eating hadn't even looked at the Avengers as if the superheroes came here regularly. “No. But I want to see... uh, the others were talking about Disney? What is that?”

Steve and Bucky stared at her in a kind of horror. Brianna glanced between them, with a small frown.

“You haven't seen any Disney movies?” Steve exclaimed.

Brianna shook her head.

“You mean you haven't seen Brave? This is... this is horrible!”

She turned her head to see another man coming up to their table, followed by a red-haired woman. They were both normal looking but Bucky and Steve had looked normal and they were superheroes.

“Barton, fancy seeing you here,” Bucky asked, narrowing his eyes but nodding at the woman.

“We were in the neighborhood.”

“Right...” Bucky trailed off, with a knowing smirk. “This diner's in the same neighborhood as the tower. You just wanted to get a look at our... daughter.”

Brianna shuffled a little closer to Steve as the two people came up to their table and stopped. He looked down at her and smiled reassuringly.

“Brianna, this is Clint Barton and Natasha Romanoff,” Steve gestured to each one. “They're Avengers too. Guys, this is Brianna Evans.”

Brianna glanced at Clint then at Natasha, her jaw dropping. “You're Hawkeye, aren't you?”

Clint smiled at her. “Uncle Clint, at your service.”

Brianna giggled then turned to look at Natasha. “Black Widow?”

“Yes,” Natasha replied a little hesitantly.

“Otherwise known as Aunt Tasha,” Clint whispered to her.

Brianna laughed as Natasha frowned then elbowed Clint in the side.

“Natasha, what was that for?!” Clint exclaimed.

“Are the others here too?” Bucky asked, looking around and sliding over to sit on Brianna's other side to make room for the others.

“Thor and Jane are having a night out,” Bruce answered, appearing behind Natasha and Clint. “Tony is still in his lab.”

Brianna's eyes widened. “Are you the Hulk?”

* * *

 

 

Bruce stared at Steve and Bucky's new kid in wonder. There was something different about her, like she…

“Yeah, I can turn into the Hulk,” Bruce replied, watching as both Steve and Bucky peered down at Brianna. They were both kind of staring at her in wonder, like they were already half in love with her.

“Can I see the Hulk?” Brianna asked, staring at him curiously.

“You can see him,” Steve replied as Brianna glanced up at him. “But only on the tv screen, okay?”

“Ahh, but I've stood in front of wer...” Brianna stopped abruptly then grinned a little sheepishly.

“You've what?” Bucky asked, raising an eyebrow.

Brianna stared for a second then gasped. “I forgot to tell Fawkes that I got adopted! I...”

“Fawkes?” Steve repeated. “Who's that?”

“He's... my friend,” Brianna said and smiled a minute later. “He'll be able to find me, right?”

“When you say friend, what exactly do you mean?” Clint asked as all of them narrowed their eyes.

“He's a phoenix,” Brianna replied, peering up at each of them.

“Oh, you mean a stuffed animal that's a phoenix?” Bucky asked, exchanging a glance with Steve.

Brianna shook her head vehemently, her hair moving with her. “No. He's real! But I... I think he can find me on his own.”

“Have you ever seen a stuffed animal that looks real?” Bruce asked them as Brianna started to attempt to pull the box of crayons toward her.

“I saw one that looked like a hawk,” Clint answered thoughtfully.

“Of course you did,” Natasha said, smiling at Clint. “You probably have it in your quarters.”

Clint gasped, mock hurt. “Natasha, you came into my quarters? I wouldn't have expected it of you!”

Brianna giggled and the five of them smiled.

Bruce, Natasha and Clint all slid into the booth and started to chat together. Steve occasionally saw them peer down at Brianna but he noticed that none of them were nervous or otherwise agitated.

Steve reached out and moved the crayons over toward them and opened it for her. “What are you going to draw?”

Brianna glanced up at him then narrowed her eyes in thought. “I don't know.”

“I was an artist before I became Captain America,” Steve remarked, picking up a brown crayon. “Do you like to draw?”

“You were an artist?” Brianna asked, studying the crayons and then picked up a green crayon.

“Yes, I drew a lot of things,” Steve explained, starting to draw on the paper that was over the table.

“Did you draw... What did you draw?” Brianna started to draw while Steve watched her.

“Well, I drew Buck many times,” Steve commented, turning to smile at Bucky who was watching them with a small smile.

Brianna glanced up at Bucky then at Steve and finally down to the paper. “I'm gonna draw a... horse.”

“With green?” Bucky asked then shrugged a little. “Actually, I think I've seen a green horse.”

Brianna glanced at him, tilting her head. “Horses aren't green!”

Bucky grinned. “Are you sure?”

“I'm sure,” Brianna retorted, pouting and returning the green crayon to the box. She hummed thoughtfully then picked out the black crayon.

“The Hulk's green,” Steve said, starting to draw his own picture.

Brianna glanced up at Bruce then shrugged and started to draw.

 

* * *

 

 

“Oh, food's here,” Bucky commented, peering down at Brianna's drawing. Steve was drawing what looked like a shield with a star in it. Brianna was drawing…

“I've never seen horses with wings before,” Bucky commented, ruffling Brianna's hair to get her to look up. She did, frowning a little. “And those are more... spooky than normal horses too. They're all skeletal.”

Steve turned to glance at her drawing too. “Is that from a dream? Sometimes I pull ideas for drawing from a dream.”

Brianna shook her head as Bucky pushed the crayons out of the way for the waitress to place the small plate of pasta before her.

“No,” Brianna said, eyes lighting up at the food. “I've seen thestrals before.”

“Thestral?” Steve asked, exchanging a curious glance with Bucky and the others.

“I've never heard of thestrals,” Bruce remarked, glancing over their way as another waiter came and dropped off food for them. “They're not a recorded species of animal.”

Steve drew over Brianna's plate and started to cup up the spaghetti for her. She watched him then hesitated a little.

“I don't have to do anything for a meal, right?” Brianna asked quietly, looking up at Steve and Bucky then quickly looking away.

Chatter around the table stopped in its tracks as every member of the avengers that were there turned to look at Brianna. Steve, Bucky, Natasha and Clint all looked horrified.

“Sweetheart, you do not have to do anything at all to be able to eat,” Steve said, still worried at what that question meant.

“What are the names of your previous parents?” Bucky asked, looking ready to kill someone.

Brianna turned to look back at them. “The Dursley's. Why?”

“Children aren't suppose to have to do anything for a meal,” Bucky replied, mentally filing away the last name for later. He flexed his metal arm a little, itching to talk to Jarvis right now and find out who Brianna's previous family was. “Your parents are suppose to provide for you.”

“What did your first family make you do?” Steve questioned, pushing the cut up pasta back over to her.

“They... made me cook,” Brianna replied, slowly picking up her fork. “And clean. That too.”

Bucky stared, narrowed his eyes. “You won't have to cook or clean anymore.”

Steve sighed. “We'll take care of everything from now on. You won't have to cook or clean anymore.”

Brianna smiled widely and jumped up to hug Bucky and Steve, who both jumped a little then embraced her.

 

* * *

 

 

“Natasha, are you thinking what I'm thinking?” Bucky asked as they walked home. Brianna was fast asleep in Steve's arms, her arms around his neck. Bucky was carrying her backpack and had glanced through it briefly. It only had one change of clothes and no clothes for the summer or the winter. They would have to go shopping sometime in the morning, get some sturdy winter jackets and sweatshirts for her to wear. It wasn't a particularly cold winter evening so they passed people on their way home from nights out.

“Jarvis will be able to find out who her parents were,” Natasha answered, nodding a little.

Bucky sighed, glanced at Steve and Brianna and smiled. “She also has an injury that she was born with. A scar on her left leg that hurts her occasionally.”

“Does she take anything for that?” Natasha asked idly as they walked.

Bucky pulled out the container of lotion and handed it to her. “The woman that helped us with her gave us this.”

He saw Natasha look it over. “You said that she was born with the injury?”

“We're going to ask Bruce to look at it tomorrow,” Bucky replied, frowning.

“I can definitely do that,” Bruce cut in. “She's adorable.”

Steve turned to look at Bucky and smiled. “Yeah, she is.”

“Are you going to change her last name?” Clint asked, glancing in between the two of them.

“If... she wants to,” Bucky answered.

“Perhaps her last name would help in finding whoever her former parents were,” Bruce remarked.

“Evans?” Steve asked, as they turned the corner and stepped into Avengers Tower.

“That... it's actually a good idea,” Bucky commented, running a hand through his hair.

 

* * *

 

 

“Good evening, avengers,” Jarvis spoke as they entered the elevator.Steve glanced around the elevator at his team then glanced at Brianna and smiled.

“Jarvis, is Tony still in his lab?” Bruce asked as the elevator started up. Steve and Bucky's floor was the first one in the tower so they didn't have to wait long for it to stop. He could see Brianna wriggle around a little in Steve's arms then open up her eyes, yawning.

“Are we there yet?” Brianna asked sleepily, her words a little slurred with sleep.

Bruce smiled and watched as the others tried to hide their smiles.

“No, he is not,” Jarvis replied, sounding a little…

Steve frowned. “Jarvis, is something wrong?”

“No. I have only been told to not spoil the surprise.”

“Well, that's ominous as fuck,” Clint remarked then sighed as Steve and Bucky glared at him. “We're going to have to watch our swearing, aren't we?”

Bucky grinned. “At least until she's older, Barton.”

“What's Tony been up to now?” Natasha asked.

“He has been acting really suspicious lately,” Bruce replied as the elevator door opened.

“Thor did say something about his brother,” Steve added as they walked out. He glanced behind him as they all followed. Brianna was looking all in all directions, eyes wide but not too much. She was obviously still sleepy.

Bucky stopped alongside Steve and glanced around their floor and stared at where Tony was standing. Tony was standing in front of the door to a room that the two of them didn't use at all and were thinking of using for the child's room.

“About time you guys got here,” Tony said, gesturing for them to walk up to them.

“Uh, Stark? What did you do?” Bucky asked, raising an eyebrow.

“When your papers came into the Stark Industries database that I have for all of you guys,” Tony started. “I designed this.”

Steve stared at his teammate and watched him open the door. Tony was kind of pointing at the room like he was a salesman trying to sell a car or something equally big. He strode over to the doorway and gaped.

There was a small twin bed, adequate for an eight year old in the middle of the room. It had an avengers quilt on it, with all of them on it. There was a moderate sized dresser next to it, with a lamp on it and an alarm clock. When Steve walked further into the room, he turned and saw that the closet had a few clothes in it. There was also a little nightlight that looked like Steve's shield plugged into an outlet near the bed.

Two comfortable looking chairs were sitting on opposite sides of the bed, ready to be sat in.

“How did you know her size?” Steve asked as they all filed in. Bucky stopped and laughed at the avengers quilt.

“Does it have avengers on the sheets too?” Bucky asked, teasingly.

Tony turned to look at him. “Oh, haha, Barnes.”

Clint went over to the bed and lifted the quilt then nodded. “Yep, it does.”

“I looked up her files in the facility,” Tony replied, turning to look at Steve and Brianna. “I suppose I'll have to meet her in the morning though. I also was going to fix up an additional bathroom for her but I can do that later. Yours now has a stepstool in it.”

Bucky glanced at Brianna, who had again fallen asleep on Steve's shoulder.

“Thanks, Tony,” Steve said, going over to the bed and lowering Brianna onto it. Bucky drew out the shirt that looked like she had slept in it from her backpack and helped Steve to undress Brianna and put her sleepshirt on.

“You're welcome,” Tony replied quietly then glanced at the others. “Alright, nothing to see here. Move along.”

Bucky snickered then went back to his task.

Brianna yawned, sleepily blinked her eyes open, and helped them. As soon as they were done, they helped her brush her teeth and use the bathroom.

“Is this home now?” Brianna asked, as they helped her into bed.

Steve nodded and smiled. “Yes, if you like.”

Bucky rolled his eyes but nonetheless smiled. “We're just down the hallway, if you need us, okay?”

“Okay...” Brianna replied, falling asleep with a smile on her face.


	5. Chapter 5

A scream woke up both Steve and Bucky the next morning. They both sat bolt upright, glanced at each other then ran out of their room and into the doorway of Brianna's. The sun wasn't out yet but the sight of their daughter....

Bucky still couldn't believe that they had a daughter of their own. But when he saw Brianna, he narrowed his eyes and slowly walked over to the bed.

“Brianna? You okay?”

Brianna was sitting up, little eyes wide and hair tousled from bed. She was shaking and frantically looking around the room and when her gaze landed on him, she started up and ran across the bed to jump into his open arms. Bucky immediately caught her and tightened his hold around her, rubbing soothing circles on her back.

Steve came to stand in front of them and pulled them both into his arms. Bucky sighed and relaxed into Steve's hold, feeling Brianna do the same.

“Princess? Did you have a nightmare?”

Brianna nodded, still quivering a little. “It was... ”

“It was...?” Steve echoed quietly, pressing a kiss to her hair then leaning forward to kiss Bucky. He yawned into the kiss, warm and content.

“Ew.”

Bucky and Steve both peered down at their little girl. Bucky snorted at her expression: exhausted and yet... She was staring at them with the kind of expression that meant she was a kid who thought parents kissing was gross.

Steve chuckled quietly, yawning a little.

“We were just kissing,” Bucky murmured, smiling down at her.

Brianna nodded, more than a little sleepy, eyes closing then reopening then finally closing, and fell back asleep in between them.

Bucky glanced down at her then at Steve. “She definitely had a nightmare. That scream was...”

Steve nodded hesitantly, grimacing. “It sounded like when you woke up screaming after I found you and brought you home.”

Bucky winced. “What the hell happened to her to cause her to sound like me though? I want to investigate.”

“In the morning,” Steve said. “Let's go back to sleep.”

Bucky pulled away, a little reluctantly, glanced at Brianna's bed and started over to lower Brianna back onto the bed.

“You know, after your nightmares, you liked cuddling,” Steve quietly remarked, grinning a little. “Granted, sometimes you didn't like to be touched but...”

Bucky was already slipping under the covers, all the while not dislodging Brianna's clenched hand on his shirt. “Way ahead of you, Rogers. Get your ass over here.”

Steve snorted but padded over to the bed anyways, climbing in on the other side of Brianna and throwing an arm around them both.

 

* * *

 

 

Brianna woke up when the sun shone through the windows. She was awfully warm and when she opened her eyes, she realized that it wasn't because of the blankets around her. Steve and Bucky were lying on either side of her, still asleep. She glanced around the room after sitting up, not having studied it really when Steve carried her here.

She giggled a little at the nightlight that looked like Cap's shield then turned to do a double-take when she saw one of the chairs beside the bed.

“Fawkes!”

The phoenix was settled on top of the chair, peering at her. Fawkes gave a quiet trill of happiness, shaking his golden red wings a little.

Brianna squirmed around then crawled to the bottom of the bed and slipped off. She heard Bucky grumble sleepily a little, turning on his side to watch her.

“Papa! Look!”

“Hmm? Is that suppose to be me?”

Brianna nodded, turning to look at Bucky. She could see Steve slowly waking up and moving to slide right up against Bucky's back.

“Yes! You're papa and Steve's daddy,” Brianna stated, already turning back to walk up to the chair that Fawkes was on.

But before she could climb up onto it, she was suddenly scooped up. She yelped and turned to see that Bucky had quietly but quickly slid out of bed and padded over to her in one step.

“Brianna, do you know what that is?” Bucky asked quietly, holding her with one arm and pulling out a knife. “Steve?”

“I've never seen a bird like that,” Steve remarked, coming over to stand next to Bucky. “Jarvis?”

“That bird is not on any birding lists,” Jarvis replied.

Bucky stared at the red bird that was currently staring at both of them, almost like it was studying them. Brianna was squirming in his arm, trying to get down. He exchanged a bewildered glance with Steve then turned to stare at the bird some more.

“I know him!” Brianna exclaimed. “He won't hurt us. It's Fawkes!”

“...Fawkes?”

“Yeah, the phoenix?” Brianna glanced up at Bucky. “I told you last night?”

Bucky hesitantly lowered Brianna to the floor but didn't put his knife down.

“Fawkes!”

Bucky watched the bird drop down from the top of the chair and down onto the arm. Brianna ran up to it and wrapped her arms around it. He watched as the bird toddled into Brianna's arms.

“He helps with my nightmares sometimes,” Brianna murmured, as Fawkes started to trill lightly.

“Phoenixes are real?” Steve questioned a little quietly, like he was still bewildered.

“Judging by the evidence,” Bucky started, running his metal arm through his hair. “I think so.”

Steve snorted and elbowed Bucky in the side. “Would Fawkes let us say hi?”

“I think so,” Brianna said, turning around and stepping aside almost timidly. “He says he likes you two.”

“Oh? He said that?” Bucky repeated. “Does he talk to you a lot?”

Brianna nodded. “Yeah.”

Bucky watched as Steve went up and kneeled to be at eye level with the bird.

“Hello, Fawkes. It's good to meet you.”

Fawkes stared at Steve, trilled a little.

_ Hello, Captain. _

Steve gasped and stepped back, jaw dropping.

Brianna giggled a little. “See? He talks.”

Bucky stepped up, hand unconsciously tightening on the knife.

_ You do not need that knife, James Barnes. I'm only here to help the young one. _

Bucky gaped, hand loosening and dropping the knife and hearing it land on the floor with a clatter.

“What.”

“Maybe Thor would know something about this?” Steve mumbled.

“Are there phoenixes on Asgard?” Bucky whispered back while Fawkes took flight and alighted onto Brianna's shoulder.

“How would I know?” Steve exclaimed. “I only drew one from a fantasy book before the war.”

“Or maybe Loki would know something?” Bucky asked. “Brianna, how are you so comfortable with him?”

Brianna turned to him then glanced at Steve. “'Cause I'm a witch.”


	6. Chapter 6

“Can we go get breakfast now?” Brianna asked, glancing at Steve and Bucky both. “I'm hungry.”

“Yeah, sure...” Bucky said hesitantly. He exchanged still bewildered glances with Steve whose eyes were still wide. They had seen monsters that had attacked Manhattan, weird globby things that had attacked the financial district in Washington, D.C. but talking birds that weren't suppose to exist and daughters that say they're a witch? It was still screwing with their minds. Though... “Hey, little bug?”

“Yeah, papa?” Brianna stopped midway to the door.

“Can you explain that sentence?” Steve asked, finally standing up and moving to kneel before Brianna. Bucky stood up, scooping up his knife and putting it back on the bedside table before heading over to stand over them. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Fawkes light up, flames racing over the bird, before it disappeared.

“Which sentence? I don't know how my body works,” Brianna replied then narrowed her eyes. “Except the magic. I know how that works.”

“How do you know you have magic?” Bucky asked.

Brianna wrinkled her nose. “I was born with it. My knee... Magic caused that. Bad magic. Can we go now?”

Steve looked at her then stood up, scooping Brianna up as he went. She stiffened a little in his arms and he started to rub circles on her back. “Brianna, you're safe with us. You know that, right?”

“I know,” Brianna whispered, wrapping her little arms around Steve's neck.

“Were you... not safe before?” Bucky asked, staring into her eyes.

She glanced at him, tilted her head a little in confusion.

“In England?” Steve added.

She burrowed her head into Steve's neck, mumbled a little.

“What was that?” Bucky enquired.

“I wasn't,” Brianna replied, lifting her head to look at Bucky.

Steve was about to say something when Brianna's stomach growled, loudly.

She giggled. “Breakfast now?”

 

* * *

 

 

“Brianna?”

Brianna peered up at her new parent, holding up a hand. Steve immediately gently grasped her hand, squeezing gently. They had finished dressing a few minutes ago and gotten in the elevator. Brianna was wearing a t-shirt and sweatpants that both had Steve's shield on them. The shields were instead of stripes or dots. Steve suspected that Tony had bought them as a joke but they were good clothes for breakfast. Brianna looked pretty adorable in them too. “Yeah, dad?”

“Can we talk about the magic thing after breakfast?” Steve asked as the elevator in the tower brought them up to the communal floor.

“I'm not... You're not going to beat me for it, are you?” Brianna asked quietly, peering down to the floor of the elevator. She heard sharp inhales from both Steve and Bucky as the elevator stopped at their chosen floor. The door opened and Brianna could hear voices, some she had heard last night when she had met some of the Avengers and some she hadn't heard before.

“Did your previous family... beat you for this?” Bucky asked, narrowing his eyes.

“... yeah.”

“They... tried to beat it out of me,” Brianna whispered.

Bucky exchanged a look with Steve and he suspected Steve's expression was mirrored on his own face. Nine parts anger and one part disbelief. His eyes were wide and Bucky's metal hand was flexing as if aching to throw a punch. They had heard a little from Loki on magic and if someone tried to do something like what Brianna had said, they would die. Suppressing someone's magic would kill that person.

“We aren't going to hurt you,” Bucky reassured.

“The Avengers won't hurt you either,” Steve added. “We'll protect you. You're safe.”

Bucky scooped up Brianna and wrapped his arms around her, jostling her a little. Brianna laughed and wrapped her arms around his neck. They walked out of the elevator that way. Bucky and Steve side by side with Bucky carrying their daughter.

“Hey, so I finally get to meet your kid?”

Brianna turned in Bucky's arms to see a man coming up to them. He had short black hair and a glowing whatever in his chest.

“Who are you?” Brianna asked then turned to look at Steve. “Who is that?”

Steve smiled. “He is Tony Stark, otherwise known as Iron Man.”

“Iron Man?” Brianna repeated.

“Yeah, the guy who wears the suit and fixes my arm from time to time,” Bucky answered then smirked at Tony. “She has a bucky bear.”

“You mean, you don't know who I am?” Tony asked, putting his hand to his heart like he was heart broken. “I am wounded. Barnes, just because she had one of your bears, doesn't mean that she won't have an Iron Man teddy bear. I'll make sure of it.”

Bucky snorted.

Brianna giggled. “I think I've seen your suit before. Red and gold?”

“That's the one,” Tony answered, nodding and smiling a little. “You're adorable.”

Brianna blushed, not really used to having compliments said to her.

“Breakfast's ready!”

“Ah, thanks Sam,” Steve said as the other man came over. “Brianna, this is Sam Wilson. The Falcon.”

“You're the Falcon?” Brianna asked, watching as Sam stopped in front of Bucky.

Sam nodded. “Yep. The best Avenger there is and I'm it.”

Brianna giggled.

“Wilson, you really think you're the best?” Tony called over as the four of them walked over to the kitchen.

“I know I'm the best,” Sam returned, walking over to the stove and flipping a few pancakes out of a pan and onto a plate. “Here, I made these for you.”

“Pancakes? For me?” Brianna asked, peering at Sam as Bucky lowered her slowly.

Sam raised an eyebrow. “Yeah, of course for you.”

“Sam! Please tell me you made more!”

“Nope,” Sam said, grinning as the archer walked into the kitchen. “They're all for her.”

Clint pouted.

“Fine. I did make some for you guys too,” Sam said.

Clint smiled and went over to grab a mug for coffee.

Brianna shuffled over to the table and glanced at the multiple chairs around it and went over to one of them. She climbed onto it and sat down, watching as Steve brought the plate of two pancakes over to her. Bucky brought over a fork and a jar of syrup for her.

“Do you want anything to drink?” Bucky asked, sitting down next to her.

“Milk,” Brianna answered, looking down at the pancakes. They had brown... “There are chocolate chips in here!”

Bucky grinned at her joyous expression. “Do you have a sweet tooth by any chance?”

“Nooooo?” Brianna said, smiling and started to dig in.

Steve laughed, bringing over a plastic cup of milk for her.

“Steve, is there coffee in the kitchen?” Bucky asked, glancing over Brianna as she ate.

“Buck, Tony's up,” Steve remarked, grinning. “There is definitely coffee in the kitchen.”

Bucky ran a hand through his hair, drew Steve into a brief kiss then strode off into the kitchen. Brianna glanced at them, giggled a little then went back to eating. Sam moved over to sit across from them and smiled.

“How do you like the pancakes?” Sam asked.

“They're delicious!”

“Thor and Jane are back,” Clint remarked, taking a bite of cereal and sitting down at the table.

“Maybe Thor could get in touch with his brother,” Steve commented then glanced over at Tony, who was fiddling with a tablet. “Hey, Tony?”

“Yeah, Steve?”

“You still haven't heard anything from Loki?”

“Nope,” Tony answered, frowning. “Not a peep from him since a few months ago. He's only a consultant. Why do you want to know?”

Steve frowned and glanced over at Bucky as he came back from the kitchen. Bucky held out one of the two mugs he was carrying over to Steve, who grinned and took it.

“Our daughter is...” Steve trailed off, noticing Brianna's look. “She says she's a witch.”

“Witch?”

The Avengers turned around to see Thor and Jane come into the kitchen and dining room.

Thor walked over, eyes widening as he saw Brianna at the table. “Captain?”

Steve smiled. “Thor, this is our daughter. Brianna Evans, soon to be Rogers-Barnes, if she wants.”

Brianna's eyes widened and she peered over to Steve then looked at Thor who had come to kneel before her.

Thor stared at her then looked at her scar. “Brianna Evans.”

Brianna stared at him, tilted her head a little.

“It is good that you are here,” Thor remarked, smiling. “We were worried about you.”

“Thor?” Steve asked, coming over to stand by Brianna. Bucky stood too, striding over to stand next to Steve. “What are you talking about?”

Thor stood up and clasped Steve's shoulder. “I am glad to see you two have found her. I will attempt to find my brother.”

Steve and Bucky both peered down at Brianna.

Thor glanced down at Brianna again. “You have found good parents.”

“What exactly are you talking about?” Bucky asked, peering down at Brianna then moving to go back to the elevator.

“She'll tell you in her own time,” Thor replied. “When she's older, she will tell you.”

“Is she really a witch?” Clint asked, raising an eyebrow.

“She did say that bad magic caused her scar,” Steve said, looking at Brianna and noting her wince. “Do you need more cream for your scar?”

“Yeah,” Brianna said. “It's hurting again.”

Steve nodded and was about to walk to the elevator when Bucky came out of it. “Bucky?”

Bucky came up to them and pulled out the bottle of paste, going over to sit next to Brianna. “I noticed you wincing earlier. Little bug, would you mind me putting this on your scar?”

Brianna shook her head and climbed onto Bucky's lap. “You put some on yesterday.”

“Sirs.”

“Yes, Jarvis?” Steve asked, glancing around the room. Natasha had migrated into the kitchen, in soft sleep clothes. He could see that there was a bulge for a gun though.

“Doctor Banner is transforming as we speak.”

Everyone stopped what they were doing. Steve and Bucky both inched closer to Brianna who looked at everyone, a little bewildered.

“Papa, what does that mean?” Brianna asked as Tony called for his suit.

Bucky scooped up Brianna. “I'll have to put your cream on later, okay?”

Brianna nodded. “But what does Jarvis mean?”

“Jarvis means that Bruce has transformed,” Bucky explained as Brianna burrowed into him.

“Transformed?” Brianna repeated, looking back at him.

“Into the hulk,” Clint replied.

“Oh.”

“Jarvis, what was Bruce doing before he changed?” Steve asked.

“Checking his email,” Jarvis answered.

Clint moved over to the couch and picked up his bow and quiver, having dressed in a set of work out clothes earlier. Natasha picked up a knife.

Steve and Bucky glanced at each other then peered down at Brianna. “Bria, I need you to stay with Bucky, okay?”

Brianna nodded hesitantly and Bucky moved past everyone to the lift as a roar was heard throughout the tower.


	7. Chapter 7

“Why do we need to stay away?” Brianna asked as Bucky lowered her back onto her bed.

Bucky looked at her and sat down next to her and drew out the bottle of lotion again. Brianna glanced up at him then moved into his lap and drew up her pajama pant leg.

“Bruce can be... dangerous when he transforms randomly,” Bucky replied, spreading lotion across the scar.

“Oh. Will he hurt you guys?” Brianna asked, sighing when the lotion did its work and calmed her scar. She heard a roar of anger that seemed close by or at least a few floors down.

“Not intentionally,” Bucky responded, putting the cap back on the tube of lotion. “Brianna, it's different when he loses control.”

“Did he lose control?”

“Jarvis?” Bucky asked. “Did he?”

“I would not be the best expert on this matter,” Jarvis replied. “However, the Hulk does seem to be trying to make his way towards your location.”

Bucky raised an eyebrow. “Thor and Tony aren't herding him in a different direction?”

“They are trying. The Hulk is being very persistent.”

“What kind of email was Bruce reading?” Bucky asked, peering down at Brianna as she watched him. They heard a loud crash two floors down and Brianna startled a little and burrowed further into Bucky's arms. He tightened his arms around her and ran his flesh hand through her hair, ruffling it a little. Brianna giggled and tucked her forehead against Bucky's chest.

“I believe he had contacted a friend in Britain, to ask about your daughter's history,” Jarvis explained.

“What kind of friend?” Bucky asked as the two of them heard loud roaring. “That was close. Brianna, we need to move. Jarvis, give me an update on Steve, please.”

“He is currently down,” Jarvis said, sounding very apologetic. “My creator is getting him up now.”

Brianna glanced at Bucky then up toward where she could hear Jarvis' voice. “I think I can help.”

“Jarvis, where's...” Bucky trailed off, peered down at Brianna. “Bria, the Hulk is a very dangerous creature. Bruce only shifts in battle. Or at least he tries to only shift when we're fighting.”

Brianna nodded. “I still think I can help.”

Bucky studied her, noted the slight breeze that was wrapping around her. “Are you sure? I don't want you hurt.”

“I might still smell of Fawkes,” Brianna replied, looking up at her father. “Like a phoenix. Roar!”

Bucky smiled and laughed quietly. “Sweetheart, I think that's a tiger noise.”

Brianna giggled.

“You're saying that might calm the Hulk down?” Bucky confirmed after a few minutes of quiet laughter. He stood up with Brianna in his arms and walked over to look out the door before going over to a certain set in cubby hole in the wall over in one of the corners. He put his flesh hand against the corner of it and watched it open.

“Maybe,” Brianna said, eyes widening at the cubby in the wall. It had a stash of guns and knives in it, along with what looked like grenades. “That's a lot of weapons.”

“The Avengers...” Bucky trailed off, looking down at her. “We get attacked a lot.”

Brianna stared at him, nodded.

Bucky raised an eyebrow but returned the nod. “Let's go then if you're sure.”

“Sir...”

Bucky stopped, glanced at Brianna then looked up to the ceiling. “Jarvis?”

“Dr. Doom and Amora is on his way, with Doom's inferior doombots.”

Bucky's eyes widened and glanced at Steve, who was trying to herd the Hulk away from the two of them.

“Jarvis, what's their ETA?” Steve asked, catching his shield as the Hulk threw it back to him. He was breathing heavily and staring at Bucky then down where he could see Brianna's legs.

“Five minutes, sir.”

“Shit,” Tony muttered, flying to hover next to Steve.

“Buck, get Brianna out of here,” Steve ordered. “Thor, I need you to do a flyover. See what you can see out there.”

“Yes, Captain,” Thor replied, swinging Mjolnir and flying out of the tower, through the great big hole that the Hulk had created. The rest of the tower was smoking and there were at least three big fires flaring in and around the tower.

“Tony, see what you can do with the Hulk. Jarvis, where are Clint and Natasha?” Steve asked.

“Hulk protect.”

Steve turned to look at the Hulk, hearing Clint and Natasha come out of whatever hole they were in. The Hulk was looking at Bucky then they all watched as the Hulk kneeled down and held out a hand.

“Hulk protect girl.”

 

* * *

 

 

Brianna watched as the Hulk came closer to Bucky and then reach out a hand towards them.

Brianna stared up at the Hulk as the creature approached. Bucky was in front of her, metal hand raised with a gun in it.

“Banner?” Bucky called out as the Hulk turned from throwing Iron Man away. There was a giant, hulking(no pun intended) hole in the tower and Tony went flying through it.

Bucky heard Brianna move and turned to see her move to stand beside him, leaning into him a little. He reached down a hand to stop her only for her to look up at him.

“Her eyes are glowing...” Bucky murmured, eyes widening.

“Bucky?” Steve asked, voice raised and a little hoarse due to the smoke floating around the air in the tower.

“Bria's eyes are glowing,” Bucky answered, kneeling down and turning her face so that she would look at him. She stared at him and smiled. “Sweetheart... Are you okay?”

“Glowing?” Tony asked worriedly. “Do we have to worry about her getting possessed? I know we've fought Amora before but that was with Loki around. He's not here.”

Brianna laughed. “I'm not possessed. Bruce won't hurt me.”

“'Cause you smell like Fawkes?” Bucky guessed.

Brianna nodded. “Also cause I'm a witch.”

“'Cause you're a witch...” Clint trailed off, nocking an arrow on his bow and turning to shoot a doombot. Bucky could see numerous doombots off in the distance and these were flying. They hadn't encountered doombots that could fly before.

“Avengers--”

“Yeah, cap. We're already assembled,” Tony remarked in a teasing tone of voice before flying out of the hole in the tower. “You know, Brucie, you really did a number on the tower this time.”

Steve snorted and threw his shield at a doombot that had smashed through a window and had come up behind Bucky and Brianna. Lightning flew outside and hit a group of doombots, indicating that Thor had entered the battle with the doombots already. “Hulk?”

The Hulk turned, eyes gleaming.

“Get Brianna out of here please.”

“Hulk protect little witch.”

Brianna nodded and hesitantly walked over to sit on the Hulk's palm.

“Banner, protect her,” Bucky ordered, pulling out a pistol and firing at a doombot that was coming too close to them. “Get her out of here. Brianna, go with him. Stay with the Hulk, okay?”

The Hulk nodded and raised Brianna up to his shoulder where she moved. “Little witch stay on Hulk.”

“I will, dad,” Brianna replied, nodding down to him. “You're small.”

Bucky snorted. “Yeah, well, you're tall.”

“Taller than you?” Brianna asked, grinning.

“Yep. You're even taller than Steve.”

 

* * *

 

 

Hulk ran, dodging a few doombots and kicking at others. Hulk ran down, picking the stairs that Bruce used.

“Hulk, watch out!”

Hulk punched out a doombot as they made it to the lobby. When he appeared, the lobby staff started to scream and panic. Hulk ignored them and crashed through the lobby door, reaching a hand up to protect the little witch on his shoulder. They finally made it out and Hulk continued to run, picking his way through the crowds of panicking people and cars.

Hulk lifted up a car that had crashed and placed it elsewhere, helping the people underneath it to move and continued running. Hulk stopped when he had not encountered any more doombots and glanced at the girl on his shoulder.

She smiled at him, patted him on his shoulder. “Thank you, Hulk.”

“Hulk protect girl.”

“Well, well, well. What have we here?”

Hulk turned around in the alley they were in to see the Asgardian witch that the ceiling voice had talked about.

“Why, Hulk, you have a witch on your shoulder,” Amora remarked, clad in green armor. Her eyes were glowing a sickly green color, not like Hulk's witch.

Hulk could feel the girl on his shoulder start to tremble.

“I don't like you,” Brianna said tentatively, wishing her dads were here.

“Oh, you don't? Well, I can fix that. You are coming with me,” Amora ordered. “I have a feeling you could grow to be a powerful witch, if trained by the right person.”

“Hulk...” Brianna whispered, frowning. She could feel Amora's magic float around her then down to the Hulk. She didn't even know who Amora was and she already hated the way her magic felt. It felt like it was diseased, dark and angry, nothing like how Fawkes felt.

“Hulk protect little witch.”

Hulk growled as foreign magic flared around him and entered his body. Hulk roared and was about to go smash the bad lady when the little witch on his shoulder laid a hand on his neck. “Hulk, Bruce.”

“Hmmm, you were already trained...” Amora commented, taking a step closer and waving her hand. Magic flowed from her to encompass the Hulk, stopping him in his tracks when the Hulk attempted to move back.

“Hulk... you can fight this,” Brianna whispered, fear making her voice shaky. She knew she could fight this now but she would pass out right after; her little body wasn't big enough to handle that much magic flowing through her right now.

“Amora...”

The new voice stopped Amora in her tracks and the three of them turned to the entrance of the alleyway. Hulk growled at the new intruder, the new intruder that was vastly familiar to him.

“She is not yours,” Loki stated, walking up to stand alongside the Hulk.

Brianna peered down at the new guy, tilted her head. He glanced up to her, his blue eyes glowing with magic. “I received word from my brother. Brianna Potter, hello.”

“Puny god help?”

“Yes, Hulk. I'm here to help,” Loki answered, his cold magic flaring around the three of them and clearing the area of Amora's magic. “You, Amora, will not touch her.”

“Oh, I can't, huh? Is this about that dispute we had? Loki, we're good together,” Amora said, coming closer.

Hulk growled louder, even louder than he had with Loki.

Amora stopped, crossed her arms. Loki stared at her and held up a hand. A ball of magic appeared in his palm, one that looked like blue fire.

“Alright, I can see that I'm not needed here,” Amora started, taking a step back.

“See that you never come to Midgard again,” Loki remarked steadily, magic still not gone from his eyes or his palm. “It is under the Avenger's protection. She is under my protection.”

Amora snarled, almost, then threw a wild ball of magic at them. Loki stepped to the side and directed his magic to block hers.

“The Avengers will not be around forever,” Amora shrieked then vanished.

Brianna let out a shuddering sigh, curling into herself. “Where are Bucky and Steve?”

Loki looked up at her briefly before keeling over, landing on the cement with a loud thunk.

Brianna gasped. “Hulk...”

Hulk slowly kneeled down and picked up Loki, almost gently. “Puny god hurt.”

“We need to get back to the tower, Hulk,” Brianna whispered shakily, peering over at who she figured was Loki. He had looked fine when he had first appeared but now... “Fawkes!”


	8. Chapter 8

Hulk ran and ran over cars, being careful to not dislodge the little girl on his shoulder. He held Loki in one arm as they made the long journey back to the tower, back to where the puny humans lived. His head kept hurting from where the bad sorceress got into his head and he wanted to let the human deal with it. The sun had progressed across the sky, nearing the halfway mark.

Before long they heard fighting and shouting. Hulk slowed down, feeling the girl on his shoulder lean into his neck and heard her breaths even out into sleep. Hulk nodded to himself and searched for the red, white and blue soldier or the silver armed assassin.

“Hulk?”

Iron Man flew towards him after destroying a doombot and Hulk itched to get into the battle. Hulk could also see some of the X Men fighting alongside the Avengers. The lady who could summon storms and the man with goggles over his eyes fought a few doombots at once. The human man who had claws was fighting alongside the Cap.

“Hulk needs Cap.”

“Is that… Loki? Reindeer Games?” Tony questioned, flying closer to Hulk's arms and flipping up the faceplate. “Cap and Bucky's daughter… is she okay?”

“Hulk saw Amora.”

Tony's eyes widened. “Luckily, we received help from the X men. We're not as thinly spread as usual today. Barnes! Cap!”

Iron Man flew even closer and held out his arms and Hulk dropped Loki into them.

“Hulk was worried about the little witch then the puny god came.”

Bucky came running towards them and stopped at Hulk's feet. He could feel sweat on his back even though it was winter and cold. He holstered the pistol that he had been fighting with and watched as the Hulk kneeled down as far as he could. Bucky then walked up and gathered up Brianna into his arms. “Hulk, what happened to my daughter?”

“Apparently, Hulk ran into Amora,” Tony said as he flew down to stand next to Bucky. He turned swiftly and aimed a repulsor blast at an approaching doombot. He still hadn't found Dr. Doom anywhere and… AIM was back, of fucking course. He watched as the organization's ships and soldiers entered the battlefield. “Damn, where's Reed and the others when you need them?!”

“Bucky?”

“Cap.” Tony said, nodding at him when Steve came running over.

“Hulk, you can go back to smashing things. Thanks for taking care of her,” Steve spoke, going over to Bucky's side and peering down at Brianna, who was still asleep. He briefly glanced at Loki, who hadn't woken up in Tony's arms.

“Hulk smash!”

Tony watched as the big green giant man ran off, seeming to drop kick a doombot as he waded into the battle. “Just don't piss off Logan anymore, Hulk!”

A groan drew Tony's attention to Loki, who was twitching in his arms. Tony watched as Loki's eyes opened and then hesitantly set the mischief god on the ground but still supporting him with a metal arm. Loki's green eyes glowed briefly before his Asgardian armor once again flowed over him. “Loki, buddy, you okay?”

Loki stared at Tony and smirked. “I am just tired. I shall explain later. Captain, Amora was after your daughter.”

Steve looked up to Loki then appeared to look at something beyond him, raised his shield and threw it. They all heard a yelp from an AIM soldier then they returned to looking at Loki.

“Why would she be after Brianna?” Bucky asked. “She didn't even know her or of her.”

Loki took a step closer with help from Tony and glanced down at the little girl in Bucky's arms. “That girl had a prophecy about her in another world.”

Steve caught his shield and stared at Loki with wide eyes.

“Another world?” Bucky repeated, tilting his head. “What do you mean?”

“Friends, this is no place for this,” Thor said as he flew towards them. Mjolnir was sparking with thunder. “Wait until the battle is over.”

“You're right,” Steve remarked, seeing Natasha and Clint come over. When they stopped by the others though, Clint had his back to them as he continued to fire arrows. Natasha had stolen a gun from one of the AIM soldiers and was using that to fight even as she watched the others. “Loki, would you mind taking Brianna back to the tower?”

“Or to what's left of it?” Tony muttered. Loki rolled his eyes. “Cap, there's a mansion that was owned by my father not too far from here. It should serve as a safe enough place for them both until the battle's won here.”

“Good. Thank you, Tony.”

“Brother, take care of yourself,” Thor spoke. “And of the girl.”

Loki shrugged off Tony's supporting arm and held out his hands. Bucky hesitantly stared at Loki before handing little Bria over to Thor's brother. “Don't you dare let anything happen to her.”

Loki nodded and cradled the girl in his arms carefully. “I will not. You have my word.”

“We'll be there as soon as we can,” Steve murmured, coming over to kiss Brianna on her forehead. He ran his hand through her hair gently then stepped back.

Loki took a few steps back from the group and vanished. Steve watched the team for another minute before smiling grimly. “Alright, Avengers. Let's clean this fight up.”

 

* * *

 

 

Brianna woke up an hour later to an unfamiliar setting. She was in a bedroom, that much was clear. She wrinkled her nose at the scent that permeated the room. She could smell dust and dirt that had been here for years and then she remembered. She shivered then jumped down from the bed she had been put on, minding her left leg. “Papa? Dad?”

When she didn't receive an answer, she hesitated before looking around. The other furniture in the room was shrouded in white sheets, including a bedside table, a desk and then there was a door in one of the walls. She guessed that that led to a bathroom as she opened it and poked her head inside. She winced at the smell, vaguely remembering cleaning Grimmauld Place with the Weasley's.

“Hulk?” She whispered as she walked back to the middle of the room. There wasn't much light in the room, as the only window in the room was covered. She turned around, looking over the room when she heard a hissing sound. She tilted her head and walked toward the sound, heading over to one of the corners of the room. Brianna stopped right before the bed and couldn't see anything that would have made that hiss so she dropped down to the floor, raised the white sheet that hid the crawl space, and looked underneath the bed. It was so dark underneath the bed that she almost missed the rather dark black snake coiled in a far corner.

Brianna yelped in fright then when the snake turned its' head toward her, she could see it open its' mouth to scent her. The snake was lying coiled in a nest of dirty sheets that were once white but she could see at least four snake skins that had come off during molting.

_ You are a speaker? _

Brianna remembered her entire second year at Hogwarts, how she had become an outcast when people had seen her talk to that snake. She was about to crawl back out when she thought of her new dads and their team. Maybe… maybe she wouldn't have to be thought of as a freak anymore. When she had told Bucky and Steve that she was a witch, they didn't immediately back away from her and call her a freak. They didn't turn pale or red from anger.

She turned back to the snake, looking into its' black eyes.

“Yes, I'm a speaker,” She replied in parseltoungue.  _ Do you live here? _

The snake raised its head to be able to look her in the eyes, closing its' mouth.  _ Yes. I live here. I've never met a speaker before. But I am only 2 human years old so that probably doesn't mean anything. _

The snake was obviously female if the voice was anything to go by.

_ I guess there are rats around here then?  _ Brianna asked, crawling even further under the bed.  _ Where is this place anyway? I don't know where I am. _

_ I haven't seen a two-legger in a long time. They must have abandoned this place. There is a weird smelling two-legger around here somewhere. He dropped you off here then went to move around house, muttering words in a strange language. _

“Hmm, that must have been Loki. Oh! He...”

“Brianna?”

Brianna turned around carefully under the bed to see the other door in the bedroom open and Loki walked in. He stared around the room, seeming to look for her. Brianna couldn't see his face from down here but he appeared to not have been injured. She tilted her head but nodded, crawling back to poke her head out from under the bed. “Yeah. Where's my papa and dad? Where's the Hulk?”

“They're still fighting,” Loki replied, walking over to the bed and crouching to look down at her. “They asked me to look after you until they finished. Now why are you under there?”

“I found a friend,” Brianna exclaimed, turning back to stick a hand towards the snake. She heard the snake slither towards her then she felt it move up onto her arm. “See?”

She crawled out from under the bed all the way and held out her arm proudly.

Loki's eyes widened and he took a few steps toward her, seeming to glow. “Little Bria, that snake is venomous. It could bite you.”

“Yeah, but she won't bite me. I can talk to her,” Brianna exclaimed, looking down to the black snake whose full size fit her arm from shoulder to the end of her fingers. “She said she's been living here but that she's the only one. I couldn't leave her alone!”

Loki stared at her, eyes widening even more.

“What?” Brianna asked, eyes narrowing.

Loki warily shook his head as he slowly grinned. “Your dads are going to have their hands full raising you.”

“What's that suppose to mean?” Brianna retorted.

“I would be honored to teach you,” Loki remarked, fully leaning down to be at eye level with her. “Your magic has the potential to be powerful. Amora already guessed that.”

“Okay...” Brianna trailed off. “Are you a wizard?”

Loki nodded. “Not one like you though. I am a God.”

“A god? From where?”

“From Asgard,” Loki remarked, green eyes glowing briefly before a witch light appeared above them. The ball of green light hung, suspended in the air and lit up the entire room, making it seem less gloomy.

“What's an Asgard? Are there more people like you there?” Brianna asked, excited. She stared at Loki as he stared back.

Loki snorted. “No, there's no one like me where I'm from.”

“Both of my dads wanted to know if there are phoenixes in Asgard?” Brianna suddenly remembered, wishing that they would get here soon. She missed them. The black snake on her arm slithered up to curl around her neck, flicking out her tongue at her neck in a reassuring movement. Brianna giggled at feeling the snake's tongue against her skin.

“Phoenixes?”

“Yeah, like fire birds? I have one for a friend.”

“May I meet your friend?” Loki asked, standing up and picking her up a second later. “And your new friend?”

“Fawkes sometimes can't come,” Brianna said as Loki walked out of the room and into the hallway. She watched as they passed by a lot of rooms and she could have sworn that she saw a lot of computers in one of the rooms with an open door. “He has to… He said he has to uh… 'keep up appearances'? What does that mean?”

Loki turned to look at her, raising an eyebrow as he continued to carry her down a set of stairs. They walked down another hallway and through what seemed like a kitchen to an entry hall. “Oh?”

“When I saw you fall, I called him. He didn't come,” Brianna said sadly, eyes lighting up as she heard familiar voices through the house. The black snake around her neck squeezed a little, just enough for her to reach up a hand to pat its' head.

Loki grinned, knowing Steve and Bucky's reaction to having a daughter who could speak to snakes would be something to behold. “Well, sometimes, friends can't always make it. I couldn't always go to Thor's aid when he called.”

“But why?” Brianna asked, looking up into Loki's eyes. Her green eyes were sad and Loki could almost see the grown up Brianna Lily Potter in her. The woman who had given her life for the British wizards in that other dimension, or so Heimdall had said when he had seen her for the first time in this one. Thor had insisted on learning what he could from Heimdall, about the girl, and then had passed on what he had learned to Loki.

Loki sighed and tucked a strand of hair behind Brianna's ear. She grinned at him.

“Some friends have other duties, other loyalties elsewhere,” Loki hesitantly offered.

Brianna looked at him then nodded then wrapped her arms around his neck. He stiffened then heard her whisper. “Thank you for rescuing me and the Hulk from Amora.”

“You're very welcome, Miss Potter,” Loki murmured, returning the hug. Brianna pulled away after another few seconds then gestured for him to put her down. He obliged her, lowering her gently to the floor and watching as the black snake resettled itself around her neck.

“Loki?”

They both turned and headed towards the front door with Brianna speeding up into a run.

“Dad! Papa!”

Loki turned the corner of the hallway just in time to watch Brianna run right into Bucky's arms as the former assassin kneeled down to catch her. He watched as she wrapped her arms around Bucky and attempted to burrow into into him. Steve knelt down too and wrapped his arms around both of them.

“Amora tried to take me,” Brianna muttered. “I don't want to go with her. Ever.”

Bucky grimaced, glancing up to Loki as he replied. “You won't have too, sweetheart. We'll keep you safe.”

Loki saw the Hulk arrive on the front yard through the front door and Tony touched down on the porch. Clint and Natasha were on Clint's bike and they both wandered up into the entry hall. Thor followed them, looking his team over for any injuries before stopping beside Clint.

“Well, that was a...” Clint trailed off, seeing Steve glare at him. The archer stared at Steve then reconsidered what he he had been about to say. “That was horrible. Is it like, National Villains Day or something?”

Brianna giggled as Steve picked her up and placed her up on his shoulders.

“They probably do it just to mess with you, Barton,” Bucky remarked with a grin.

Clint flipped him off as Tony came in.

“Stark,” Loki said as he walked over to Tony.

Tony looked him over then looked the house over, or at least looked at what he could see from the entry hall. Tony's brown eyes turned hard briefly before he focused on Loki. The god studied him before pulling Tony into his arms for a kiss.

“Ewww,” Brianna muttered, hiding her eyes by ducking down to place her head on Steve's.

Everyone laughed. Bruce finally made an entrance, walking through the front door and looking around.

“Man of Iron, what is this place?” Thor questioned as he looked around. The entry hall was big and as he had flew towards the address, he had seen that it had three floors. It clearly could house a lot of people.

“Brianna, do you have a snake on your shoulders?” Bucky asked, raising an eyebrow as he looked Brianna over.

“Uh, yes?” Brianna replied hesitantly, looking down at Bucky and the others as everyone's attention was drawn to her.

Steve looked at Bucky before glancing at Loki, who shrugged.

“Little bug, why do you have a snake on your shoulders?” Steve asked, eyes drawn up to almost look at her.

“I can talk to her!” Brianna replied excitedly. “Can I keep her?”

“You mean, there was a snake here? Here in my father's mansion?” Tony enquired, also looking up at Brianna.

“Ah, Tony,” Loki murmured. “That is why you are shaking in my arms.”

“I am not shaking,” Tony retorted.

“You can talk to snakes?” Bucky asked, eyes widening.

“Yes.”

Brianna crossed her arms and sat up.

Bucky laughed at her expression, her narrowed green eyes. “Yes, you can keep her. If you can talk to her, you can keep her. I don't see why not.”

“YAY!”

“Buck! That snake could be venomous!” Steve exclaimed, his eyes wide.

“I am not worried,” Loki remarked, turning to look at the three of them. “She's a speaker.”

“What exactly is that?” Steve asked, sounding worried and tired.

“I will explain later,” Loki said then he glanced up to Brianna, who was watching the conversation with bright eyes. “You will need a name for your new friend.”

“She's black,” Brianna murmured, as Bucky picked her up off of Steve's shoulders and lowered her down to the floor. “Maybe I could name her after a goddess?”

“Uh, sure. I'm definitely no expert in naming snakes,” Bucky responded.

“How about Nyx?” Loki suggested. “The Greek Goddess of night.”

“Yeah. I'll see if she likes it.”

They all watched as Brianna started to hiss, looking down at where the black snake had slithered down to her hand.

“That sounds really weird,” Bruce said.

“Are you sure that's a language?” Clint asked. “'Cause it could be a disease. Or she could be speaking in tongues.”

“She is not,” Loki retorted, crossing his arms and glaring at Clint.

“She likes the name,” Brianna spoke, looking up at everyone. “Is this our new home?”

Tony sighed and glanced at everyone. “I already ordered stuff to be brought here. The remodeling crew will be here in the morning. I figure you guys can go spend a few nights at your own apartments while this is set up.”

“Thank you, Tony. I appreciate that,” Steve said as Brianna reached out for his hand. He instantly reached out and took hold of hers as she grinned up at him.

“I'm sorry about the tower,” Bruce said. “I… had called the British Department of Education.”

“It's fine, Brucie,” Tony teased. “We expect it occasionally.”

“What did they have to say about Brianna?” Natasha asked, looking at the little girl.

“They had no file on her until three months ago,” Bruce explained. “And when they found her, there were signs of starvation, torture and dehydration among other things.”

Both Steve and Bucky's eyes narrowed dangerously. Bucky flexed his metal arm while Steve's fingers tightened on his shield.

“How could they have no file on her?” Clint asked, looking at Bruce as Loki pulled Tony through the hallway and into a room.

“Apparently, she just appeared out of nowhere,” Bruce quoted. “Those were their words, not mine.”


End file.
